<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>Tagliabue, NFL stars to visit injured soldiers! (May 25, 2006) -- The NFL will bring a piece of America overseas to injured U.S. soldiers this Memorial Day weekend.A group of NFL representatives -- Commissioner Paul Tagliabue, NFL Players Association executive director Gene Upshaw, Philadelphia Eagles safety Brian Dawkins, New York Giants defensive end Michael Strahan, and Pro Football Hall of Famer Mike Haynes -- will visit injured American troops May 28 at the Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany.The visit is sponsored by the USO in the 40th year of its association with the NFL. NFL stars are taking their second USO trip overseas to visit U.S. troops this offseason. The day before the visit to Landstuhl, the NFL group will attend the NFL Europe League's title game, World Bowl XIV, in D?sseldorf, Germany between the Amsterdam Admirals and Frankfurt Galaxy.Soldiers who are wounded in Iraq, Afghanistan and other bases in the vicinity or in Europe and in need of critical care are transferred directly from the battlefield to Landstuhl within 48 hours of injury."These young men and women put their lives on the line to defend our country," said Tagliabue. "They make every citizen in the U.S. proud. It is our honor to visit them on Memorial Day weekend."This will be the second NFL-USO overseas visit to U.S. troops this year. Defensive ends Patrick Kerney of the Atlanta Falcons and Bryce Fisher of the Seattle Seahawks and Pittsburgh Steelers tackle Max Starks spent two weeks this spring visiting military bases in the Persian Gulf and the Balkans.It is the second overseas military visit for Commissioner Tagliabue in the past three years. In 2004, he joined Todd Heap of the Baltimore Ravens and Warrick Dunn and Keith Brooking of the Falcons at U.S. bases in Germany.In 1965, NFL Commissioner Pete Rozelle -- to demonstrate the league's support for America's fighting forces -- conceived of the idea of sending NFL players to Vietnam on "goodwill tours."The following year, the NFL teamed with the USO and became the first sports organization to send a group of players to Vietnam and other parts of Asia."Commissioner Tagliabue's commitment to meet with and tell our military -- face-to-face -- how appreciative and proud the NFL is of them is clearly evidenced by the league's annual visits to military installations around the world," said Walter Murren, vice president of USO operations in Europe. "Those trips immeasurably increase the morale of service members and their families."</div>http://www.nfl.com/news/story/9461233and Robert McCune is going to visit soldiers in Afghanistan in a couple weeks:<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>McCune: Caring About Those Who ServeMay 6, 2006This past week, the second round of OTAs were in full swing at Redskins Park. Next month comes mini-camp, followed by the long break before training camp opens in the final few days of July.Like all members of the NFL fraternity, Redskins players like to take off to such relaxing venues as Las Vegas or Miami, Palm Springs or maybe even Cabo San Lucas for their vacation breaks.Not Robert McCune.In a few weeks, the Redskins' second-year linebacker out of Louisville will head off to Afghanistan.As Redskins fans are well aware, McCune grew up in Mobile, Ala., and opted to go into the Army following high school. He spent three years in the U.S. National Guard and had stints in Kuwait and Korea before enrolling at Louisville.On June 25, McCune will be part of a contingent that embarks upon a 12-day trip in support of U.S. troops abroad. Details of the trip are still being completed, according to McCune's representative, Ken Harris of Optimum Sports Management in Tampa, Fla.Part of the trip will make a stop at Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan and the Pat Tillman USO Center, named in honor of the former Arizona Cardinal safety who was killed in eastern Afghanistan on April 22, 2004.Last year, NFL standouts such as Warrick Dunn of the Falcons and Larry Izzo of the Patriots visited the Tillman Center to both support U.S. troops and honor Tillman, who gave up a lucrative NFL career in favor of military service.Next month, McCune plans to do much the same, spending the equivalent of his summer vacation in one of the world's hot spots."This will be a great experience," says McCune. "I know what it's like to be away in the military. What you're looking for is a connection to home. I'm hoping I can do that."He adds: "You want to hear about family and friends. You want to hear stories about what's going on at home. If I can do that for one soldier, it will be great."His agent, Harris, says McCune is totally committed to the upcoming undertaking. "If you know Robert, you know he's a really serious guy," noted Harris. "This trip is something he really wants to do."The Redskins selected two linebackers in the recent NFL Draft (Rocky McIntosh and Kevin Simon) and brought in another linebacker prospect as an undrafted rookie free agent (Spencer Havner). So McCune knows all about his challenges in terms of a second season in the NFL.But for the upcoming interlude, McCune plans to do something about reaching out to U.S. military personnel in trying circumstances.Serving and supporting those who serve. That's something to think about this Memorial Day Weekend.</div>http://www.redskins.com/news/newsDetail.jsp?id=17456
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Flockers @ May 28 2006, 02:21 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Just another reason why the NFL is the best run pro league.</div>Agreed.
